Stuck in the Basement

Rudy likes to go downstairs in the basement, especially when Ken is working down there. Periodically, however, Rudy doesn't want to come back up the basement stairs. The stairs are open and we don't know if that is the problem. Maybe they look scary to him. We have wondered if it is a problem with his joints that he doesn't want to do the steps, but that never hinders him from going from the first floor to the second floor. Sometimes he bounds up the basement with no trouble. Other times, he stands at the bottom of the stairs and whines and barks. It is nearly impossible to convince him to come back up the stairs.

We have tried calling him, offering him a treat at the top of the stairs, and just leaving the light on and the door open and waiting for him to come up. These techniques seldom work. Rudy just stays at the bottom on the stairs, whining and barking.

Two things have often worked in the past. If we say "Do you want to do for a ride?" or "Do you want to eat dinner?" Rudy will sometimes dash up the stairs. Recently we have discovered the ultimate solution. When Rudy is whining at the bottom of the stairs, refusing to come up to the first floor, all we need to do is ring the doorbell. Rudy cannot resist finding out who is at the door and he runs up the steps. Every problem has a solution. The doorbell is the solution to getting Rudy back up stairs.